The 2019 CVR calendar has been hashed out and we have finalized this year’s dates for Rally. Rally will have three events on the calendar this year; the Spring Rally, Rally Academy and the Fall Rally. The Spring Rally will be May 5, Rally Academy will be June 30 and the Fall Rally will be September 22. More on the latter two events in coming issues.
Focusing on the Spring Rally, we have determined a number of key details. The event will be run in the area of Kent, CT. While it is still early in the planning stage and we are currently focusing on the route, we expect it to circle around the area possibly extending west into NY and entering the surrounding towns in the northwestern hills of Connecticut. There are some really beautiful, scenic roads that are perfect for Rally and we hope to bring an interesting and challenging (but not too hard) Rally.
The starting and ending locations for the Spring Rally on May 5, 2019 are as follows:
Starting Location:
Kent Coffee and Chocolate Company
45 North Main St
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-1445
Finishing Location:
Fife 'n Drum Restaurant
53 North Main St Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-3509
For those of you who have not traveled to Kent before, it is a fairly small town and parking is not abundant. Fortunately this will not be an issue as these two great establishments are located right next to each other and will allow for ample parking for the event.
New this year we will have online registration for Rally. We are using the same registration site as CVR Autocross. MotorSportReg.com will be used for signing up for Spring Rally. Registration is open at the following link: http://msreg.com/CVRSpringRalley
This web address will also be linked up on the CVR PCA website and within the Rally page. Sign up and secure your spot!
RALLY ACADEMY
Quick update on the Rally Academy. The Rally Academy will take place in Central Connecticut and the duration is aimed to be shorter as compared with a full Rally. Rally Academy is scheduled for June 30, 2019.
Please keep in mind that this is a format designed for true beginners. The format will likely include a brief discussion before a mini-Rally where participants will have rules explained, gimmicks revealed and end with a Q&A.
We will also be using the online registration format covered above for signing up for the Rally Academy. Stay registration opens for Rally Academy. As this is a new format, we will be limiting the group size in order to ensure everyone walks away with the confidence to sign up for the Fall Rally and put their newly honed skills to the test.
Rally 101
Its the instructions… that’s the problem.
Quick recap for those unfamiliar with Rally; the goal of a Rally is to find the route designed by the Rally masters given a set of instructions. The Rally masters put gimmicks into the instructions to try to throw off participants. Points are awarded for correctly following the course and the team with the highest points at the end of the Rally wins.
This time we will be discussing roads that do not exist. No need to have an existential crisis, these are roads that do not exist for the purpose of Rally. When you read the general instructions they let you know that private roads, driveways, dead end roads, dirt roads, and gravel roads do not exist for the purposes of Rally. As you drive along the Rally route you should pretend they are not even there.
You may be wondering how this applies in practice so let’s take a look. The BOLD arrow is the path of travel along the route. The route instructions are as follows:
R Elm Street
As you continue on Main Street, you notice Elm Street on your right. The route instruction is telling you to execute a turn on Elm Street but you notice that Elm Street is a “Dead End”. You distinctly remember (from reading the General Instructions) that “Dead End” roads do not exist for purposes of the Rally. Many first timers will make the turn anyways as they don’t know how else to handle this instruction. But there is a very easy answer to this situation: Cruise past Elm street (since it isn’t the turn you’re looking for) and continue looking to make a Right on Elm Street. The instruction will either be deleted by way of a Coursemarker or you will be given an opportunity to make a different Right on Elm Street. Either way, trust your instincts. If an instruction doesn’t seem correct, stop and question it.
For those interested in giving Rally a try for the first time, we encourage you to come out and join us. We had many first timers come to the last rally and are happy to report they all survived. Our primary goal is to ensure everyone has a good time, no matter their skill level.
Rally, as with all CVR activities, is fueled by volunteers and we welcome anyone interested in helping out. This can be something as simple as staffing a checkpoint or something more involved like assisting in the overall Rally development. Please reach out to us either in person or via email at: Rally@CVRPCA.org.
